Cecil L. Smith, Associate Curator and Collection Manager

Research and Areas of Interest:

My principal interests are the systematics, comparative morphology, biology and biogeography of the Heteroptera emphasizing the aquatic and semiaquatic families; especially the Nearctic and Neotropical Veliidae, Mesoveliidae and Gerridae. I am also attempting to include several terrestrial families in this list including the Reduviidae, Tingidae and Largidae (with varying degrees of success -- so far). Other interests include an ongoing survey of the Coleoptera fauna of Georgia (with R.H. Turnbow) and an inventory of the State's Heteroptera fauna.

In addition I am responsible for identifications of insects sent to the Georgia Cooperative Extension Service, accessioning the 10-15,000 specimens added to the Collection each year, processing incoming and outgoing loans, leading tours of the facilities, hosting visiting scientists, and attending to the routine curatorial needs of the Collection.

Relevant Taxonomic Publications:

1978 The Veliidae (Heteroptera) of America north of Mexico - keys and check list. Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash. 80: 56-80. (With J. Polhemus)

1979 An annotated list of the Miridae of Georgia (Hemiptera-Heteroptera). J. Ga. Ent. Soc. 14: 212-220. (With T. Henry)

1983 New taxa of columbid (Aves) feather mites (Falculiferidae) with suprategumental shields. J. Med. Ent. 20: 207-211. (With W. Atyeo)

______. An annotated checklist of the Hydradephaga (Coleoptera) of Georgia. J. Ga. Ent. Soc. 18: 429-443. (With R. Turnbow)

1988 Family Gerridae, Leach, 1815. The Water Striders, pp. 140-151. In Henry, T.J. and Froeschner, R.C. (editors). Catalog of the Heteroptera, or True Bugs, of Canada and the Continental United States. E.J. Brill, Leiden. 958 + xix pp

Family Hydrometridae, Billberg, 1820. The Marsh Treaders, pp. 156-158. In Henry, T.J. and Froeschner, R.C. (editors). Catalog of the Heteroptera, or True Bugs, of Canada and the Continental United States. E.J. Brill, Leiden. 958 + xix pp.

Family Mesoveliidae, Douglas and Scott, 1867. The Water Treaders, pp. 247-248. In Henry, T.J. and Froeschner, R.C. (editors). Catalog of the Heteroptera, or True Bugs, of Canada and the Continental United States. E.J. Brill, Leiden. 958 + xix pp.

Family Veliidae, Amyot and Serville, 1843. The Small Water Striders, pp. 734-742. In Henry, T.J. and Froeschner, R.C. (editors). Catalog of the Heteroptera, or True Bugs, of Canada and the Continental United States. E.J. Brill, Leiden. 958 + xix pp.

In Progress:

The beetles, or Coleoptera of Georgia. (With R. Turnbow)